Nuclear warfare, the world’s worst nightmare. Wars seem like a never-ending phenomenon, regularly occurring across the globe.
However, all of these wars never use any weapons more dangerous than an ICBM. These cause massive explosions but are more precise and lack the deadly fallout that occurs with Nuclear bombs.
Nuclear warfare is unlikely to happen, but it’s certainly not something to write off quickly. Fallout can cause all types of severe and deadly injuries, such as suffocation, skin burns, and cancer.
If you’re looking to find the best protection for nuclear warfare, one of the best options to take advantage of are fallout shelters.
These shelters are specifically designed to withstand nuclear fallout thanks to unique sealing systems. Let’s learn more about these and where you can find them.
SKIP AHEAD
Types Of Fallout Shelters
Mines
Americans have dug for coal for many, many years, which means that most of these operations needed mines; underground mines, to be exact. These mines have employed millions and are a staple of American employment.
Throughout this time, there have been thousands of mines created for the coal workers to get closer to the coal and extract it, requiring extensive research and operational equipment.
Luckily for all of us preppers, this means that there are quite literally thousands of mines at our disposal used as fallout shelters. Don’t be quick to think they provide one hundred percent protection, though.
Many mines are not airtight and often pose a danger due to loose debris or other dangerous aspects. However, mines provide an amount of protection much more tremendous than any regular building would.
Plus, if the mine is deep enough into the ground, it could protect against a nuclear blast, but it would have to be very deep. Although the closer you are to the blast, the more at risk of death you are; in case you were wondering.
Federal Fallout Shelters
Before we hop into this section, I’d like to state that the Federal Fallout Shelters I’m speaking of differ from the Federally owned bunkers for the elite.
While those types of bunkers aren’t labeled elite only, they silently are. The bunkers I’m speaking of are the ones available to the public. Unfortunately, there aren’t many available.
Many of these bunkers are inactive and abandoned, mostly from the Cold War era. They were built due to the significant tensions caused by the Cold War, due to the high possibility of nuclear war happening at that time.
Frequently, the basements of homes and buildings were built in a way to withstand the minor blast and protect from fallout, but they’re likely poorly deteriorated by this point.
However, if you’d like to take your chances with a Cold War-era type shelter, particularly one that is federally owned, be my guest. We’ll cover how to find these shortly.
Homemade Fallout Shelters
Fallout Shelters are not commonly built by the government for its civilians nowadays. Luckily for us, though, citizens have taken this into their own hands and have begun designing and building fallout Shelters for themselves.
There are even private fallout shelters that require a rental fee, which includes a nice area very deep into the ground in the case of nuclear war.
Many homeowners are doing this themselves but on a much smaller scale. In the prepping community, it’s not uncommon to hear of an individual building his bunker in his backyard or basement.
It’s honestly not that difficult, especially if you take the advice from Preppers alike. These fallout shelters are often built using concrete or storage containers placed deep underneath ground level.
If the bunker is sealed correctly with adequate filtered airflow, it can provide excellent protection from nuclear warfare. They can also be a great place that can be used to hide critical prepping supplies away from any home invasions or thievery.
Where To Find Designated Fallout Shelters Near Me
Ready.Gov
Finding fallout bunkers isn’t a priority for most Americans, and they’re usually not talked about by the government.
However, there is a website that goes into detail about what steps to take if a disaster such as a nuclear explosion occurred.
The first thing you should check out, which is quick and easy, is to visit Ready.Gov. This website will assist you in discovering local bunkers in your area. It’s a pretty intuitive website that is simple to understand.
Something that it talks about is Mass Care Shelters. These are shelters available for use by the public free of charge (excluding the taxes that you pay to maintain them).
If you’re inclined to take advantage of these types of shelters, reach out to the local officials in your area to discover the locations closest to you.
Most of these will not provide much fallout protection, but in a scenario such as a nuclear fallout winter, you’re not in a position to be picky.
Law enforcement may not know every location, so I’d recommend that you contact the city hall in your area; this way, they can provide you this information or point you in the right direction.
Very Sturdy Buildings
Before we hop into this section, listen carefully. Never enter any building unless you have explicit permission to do so. If a nuclear disaster is underway, however, you know what to do.
Sturdy buildings, while certainly not a completely safe environment to be in, both due to the possibility of it collapsing or not adequately keeping fallout outside, is much better than any regular home.
Start by looking around for strong, sturdy buildings. These will be made out of concrete or steel and feature very thick walls. Try to find one that is not too tall and has a very minimum amount of windows and entrances.
This will help keep fallout from entering the building and contaminating yourself and everything inside it. Again, never do this unless you know factually that your life is in clear danger. Banks, Schools, and Research Facilities all fit this category.
Keep in mind, these types of buildings are typically in an area with lots of people, so you may not be the first to arrive, and civil unrest could very well be unfolding right in front of you. However, again, you’re not in a position to be choosy.
Fallout Shelter Map
If you’re anything like me, you want to avoid sheltering in the city as much as possible. If you discover that this is the case, I’d recommend taking advantage of the previously mentioned underground mines.
These mines will provide a considerable amount of protection against mild blast and fallout but will not be the ideal place in terms of comfort.
Many caves are full of snakes, spiders, and in some cases, gases of all types that could in itself pose a real threat if came across while seeking shelter from fallout.
To find one of these mines, visit Dave Manthos‘ website to view mines located throughout the country. You certainly should also keep in mind, though, that some of these mines may be blocked off or locked.
If the law permits, I’d recommend that you visit the mine before you need to use it. This way, you don’t arrive 30 seconds before a nuclear blast, only to discover that entrance is impossible.
Tips To Stay Safe From Fallout
Seek Shelter Immediately
If you become aware that a nuclear explosion is possible, seek shelter immediately. If you do not have time to reach a fallout shelter or mine, locate the most prominent, strongest, and the closest thing you can put in between you and the blast.
The nuclear blast can be so powerful; the wind can tear you to pieces. This is why it’s critical to find something strong to take the initial blast for you.
Next, get inside any building or go underground to avoid the inevitable fallout that will rain down on you from the nuclear clouds above.
Avoid Looking At The Explosion
If you’re not familiar with how bright a nuclear blast can get, believe me, they get bright. These soldiers explained that they could see each bone in their hand, including every blood vessel and joint, due to the brightness caused by the explosion.
Even if you place your hands over your face, blindness can still occur. This is why you should never look towards a nuclear explosion, even if it’s for a second.
It would be similar to staring directly at the sun, but one hundred times worse. The brightness would reach levels so high that the only color you’d see momentarily would be white.
Lie Flat On The Ground
Nuclear blasts not only cause extreme brightness but cause an extremely high wind speed due to the initial blasts.
These winds differ as it’ll be much higher the closer you are to ground zero. If you’re about to face a nuclear blast and you feel confident that shelter is not in the equation, immediately lie down on the ground as flat as possible.
The blast from a nuclear explosion can reach wind speeds high enough to rip the muscles right off of your bones. Laying down may provide you enough luck to survive the initial blast so you can seek shelter to avoid the fallout rain on its way.
Open Questions About Fallout Shelters
What is Fallout?
If you’re not familiar with nuclear weapons, then you probably haven’t learned what fallout is; let me explain. When a nuclear bomb is detonated, it explodes due to a nuclear reaction that occurs inside of the bomb, all within milliseconds.
After the explosion occurs and the initial blast has happened, the large clouds seen above will begin to drop like snow.
This is fallout. These particles are incredibly toxic and can quickly kill you. This phenomenon is known as “Nuclear Snow.”
How Should I Prepare?
There is not a single way to fully protect yourself from a nuclear explosion unless you’re the president of the United States or have a bunker 500 feet below ground and years worth of food.
However, having things like a gas mask, full-body suits, water, and food are adequate; just make sure to pack lightly, maybe three days’ worth.
If you want to take it a step further, consider building yourself a personal bunker. Otherwise, stay vigilant and locate the nearest mine, cave, bunker, or shelters alike to raise the likelihood of survival by being prepared.
Why is Fallout Dangerous?
Fallout is made of toxic chemicals, leading to suffocation, skin burns, cardiac arrest, and more very quickly. Long term, it can cause cancers, further cardiac problems, and many other harmful effects.
Fallout is the primary weapon of a nuclear bomb. It’ll travel many miles away from ground zero, causing a plethora of severe severe bodily damage.
If you’ve heard of Hiroshima, there are still families suffering from the lasting effects of fallout.
Verdict
If you’ve been interested in learning more about fallout bunkers and how to find them, I hope I’ve done well in explaining it to you.
Nuclear warfare is very unlikely, but the outcome is so enormous that it’s certainly not something to write off as impossible. Nuclear war would cause devastation throughout the entire world.
The United States is said to have a nuclear bomb so massive that if detonated, it would cover the entire atmosphere all around the world full of dark clouds, killing off most vegetation.
In other terms, if a nuclear bomb is ever detonated, especially one made by one of the big league countries, you better be prepared for the long run. Know what to do, and consider building a bug out bag.
These are backpacks that have anywhere from a few days to a few weeks’ worths of necessities. Nonetheless, a nuclear explosion, in any case, at this point, would change our world entirely forever.
